Disappointed. Not only do I feel that it's stretch to connect to the Aliens series, but I kinda felt it changed writers halfway through the movie. The first half definitely gave a horror/suspense scifi feel, but the follow half lost that element and the movie suddenly became a scifi heroic tale.

I didn't get that feeling at all. The ending was pretty much decided. It works more as a character movie than as what some people were looking for. What they did worked. There are some things that are just begging for a sequel.

I agree somewhat with Hannya. While I enjoyed the movie throughout, at the halfway point things got got rushed. There were no transitions from event to event, and I felt like I was being dragged along saying "Ok, I guess this is happening".

The movie was great and I would recommend it to anybody (Alien fan or not), but I think that a good chunk of film was left on the floor in order to keep up the tension of the second half.

I'm not saying it was a bad movie for me, I just thought it would make my heart pound with suspense more than expected. I'm not a massive Aliens fan, but like I said, I only feel that it's a stretch to connect with the series.

Spoiler:

From my understanding, the Xenomorphs' (the Aliens) physical appearance and abilities are based on the host they burst from. The movie is suggesting that in a span of days, what was once a parasitic virus (or bacteria or whatever) has evolved/mutated unpredictably at an astonishing rate (from Octopus to Xenomorph) but only up until the the end, which afterwards, made Xenomorphs the standard.

I'm not saying it was a bad movie for me, I just thought it would make my heart pound with suspense more than expected. I'm not a massive Aliens fan, but like I said, I only feel that it's a stretch to connect with the series.

** spoiler omitted **

I would have to disagree, I think it's hard-wired into Alien, even so much as to credit H.R. Giger for his design work boldly and early in the end credits. I think the reason Ridley was reluctant to call it a "prequel" was that the movie isn't about the Xenomorphs, and is not about the same themes, or filmed in the same style. It feels more like an Alien movie than Aliens, at any rate.

But it most certainly is another film in the same series. It answers some questions from Alien (while asking new ones), it doesn't contradict anything from Alien, and in many cases is directly tied to the events, story, and names/places of Alien.

In regards to the life-cycle:

Spoiler:

The Xenomorph was sort of the 'devil' of the Engineer's myth cycle - the ultimate weapon, the result of the weapons life-cycle being applied to the Engineer. This was revealed in the "tomb" designs - they knew what would happen if they (or the humans) were corrupted by the weapon.

Note that the weapon is not exactly the same as the mutagen agent, which was what David took from the canister, or what was shown in the opening scene.

What I found interesting was the concept of the opening and the "plan":

Spoiler:

Was Shaw correct, and the Engineers planned humanity and then changed their mind and made the weapon to destroy us?
David seems to view things more pragmatically, that we were created to be a host for the weapon (rather than the Engineer's themselves).
There is a third possibility suggested, by the title Prometheus. Was the Engineer seen at the beginning a noble Prometheus - a rogue who took the mutagen in an effort to do some good with a WMD?

Like the movie suggests - you choose what to believe. But personally, I prefer the third option as it would explain the sheer rage of the surviving Engineer after seeing the "lesser" species.

Also, that there were multiple weapons being developed. And quite possibly the xenomorph-carrying ship from Alien was carrying that particular weapon for another world on which a rogue had executed prometheus.

I thought the movie was amazeballs, but not the OMFGGREATESTMOVIEEVER I kinda hoped it would be. But it was so all around solid, I can't say I was disappointed. I also think it might take at least one more rewatch to really form an opinion.

In a number of significant ways, it's almost just a remake of Alien, done as a straight up science fiction movie, with modern special effects.

There is not a single second of the film that isn't visually stunning.

Me and my friends seem to be an exception to the rule. We were at best disappointed. I in fact pretty much found it to be the worst movie I have seen in theaters in a long time.

Characters were poorly developed and uneven, and I couldn't sympathize with a single one. Plus, for a group mostly composed of scientists, the writer doesn't actually seem to understand what this thing called "science" is. Your main scientist character says she believes to something to be true because "She chooses to believe it?" WTF

I have a ton of other complaints (about the aliens, plot holes, random things happening, etc), but....argghhh...as a PhD student that kills me.

I was hoping it would answer a lot of questions. Instead, just like the last Terminator movie it left more questions to be asked. I think it was intentional though so they could do a sequel. I will be highly disappointed if there is no sequel though.

I have no problem with scientists who might have religious and philosophical beliefs. But I think when you are giving a presentation and presenting a controversial viewpoint, and someone challenges it (for good reason), It kind of hard to take as an answer "I choose to believe it". Especially given that this isn't a person explaining why they go to church, but someone explaining why people are spending billions of dollars and years of time to explore a potentially dangerous world.

As schrodingercat says, "That is what we are here to find out" would be a huge improvement.

Cthulhudrew wrote:

MMCJawa wrote:

Your main scientist character says she believes to something to be true because "She chooses to believe it?" WTF

You're suggesting science and faith are incompatible? I think you'll find a slew of people (many of them scientists) who don't share that view.

1) The Engineers species obviously had "recent" contact with humans, based on the pictures found. Apparently the wipe out decision was around 2000 years ago, was Jesus the cause of it?

2) The guy at the beginning is assumed to be on earth, but why should that be the case? Also the ship at the beginning was different than Space Jockey ship as far as we could tell. Perhaps those two groups are different aspects of the same species. Perhaps one are builders and the other is destroyers?

3) So there evidently was an incident that occurred at the location. Why were the first group of Engineers running to the temple with all the mutation material in it? That seems like the last place you'd want to go. What was behind the door where stacks of dead Engineers at?

4) How the hell does the guy who is responsible for running the scanning devices get lost? I would assume he'd have a mini-map on him that the devices were producing. I mean if one was damaged or mis-functioning, he'd have to go and repair it, so he'd need to be able to find it easily.

5) The other guy was a biology scientist or something, when you see something spread its flaps, I'd think you'd know that was a sign of threatening. "I know, it looks like a cobra, I'll touch it, that will be a good idea." WTF!?

6) "Hey there is air here, so let's all take off our helmets." WTF!? Did you even freaken read War of the Worlds? Do you have any idea about diseases? Oh, I see, you have decontamination procedures when you get back to the ship, so you do understand diseases and such, but you still thought taking off your helmet was a good idea?

7) How hell did abortion creature become so big? Does it not need food, it just grows based on light and air?

8) Ok, so the main character is a woman, so of course let's impregnate her with an alien and have her get an abortion (yeah, I know, not really an abortion because the machine owned by a woman was designed for men, evidently fundamental conservatives are still writing laws in the future).

Visually a stunning movie with some highly effective horror moments in it and some great performances. However, the script was riddled with plot holes so large you could drive a power loader through them.

Entertaining and worth watching in the cinema, certainly. However, also a deeply stupid movie in many places.

) Ok, so the main character is a woman, so of course let's impregnate her with an alien and have her get an abortion (yeah, I know, not really an abortion because the machine owned by a woman was designed for men, evidently fundamental conservatives are still writing laws in the future).

Spoiler:

I'll leave the snark aside and just point out that the medic-chair, and indeed the whole lifepod, were probably for Peter Weyland, not his daughter.

Also, how can you have an Aliens movie without an impregnation/birthing scene?

I cannot get this movie out of my head! Something I forgot to mention earlier:

Spoiler:

There is a 4th possibility - WE are the weapon.

@Presman:

Spoiler:

Quote:

1) The Engineers species obviously had "recent" contact with humans, based on the pictures found. Apparently the wipe out decision was around 2000 years ago, was Jesus the cause of it?

Maybe there was another 'Prometheus' situation at that time? It would tie into the whole self-sacrifice at the beginning, assuming "sin" equates to "genetic abnormality". Again, this is all from the perspective of the movie, not trying to be offensive.

Quote:

2) The guy at the beginning is assumed to be on earth, but why should that be the case? Also the ship at the beginning was different than Space Jockey ship as far as we could tell. Perhaps those two groups are different aspects of the same species. Perhaps one are builders and the other is destroyers?

That was my inclination. Or it could just be that their science vessels are different from their military ones. Or their SS design has changed.

Quote:

3) So there evidently was an incident that occurred at the location. Why were the first group of Engineers running to the temple with all the mutation material in it? That seems like the last place you'd want to go. What was behind the door where stacks of dead Engineers at?

Who stacked them there? What was the life form that the probes detected?

Quote:

4) How the hell does the guy who is responsible for running the scanning devices get lost? I would assume he'd have a mini-map on him that the devices were producing. I mean if one was damaged or mis-functioning, he'd have to go and repair it, so he'd need to be able to find it easily.

5) The other guy was a biology scientist or something, when you see something spread its flaps, I'd think you'd know that was a sign of threatening. "I know, it looks like a cobra, I'll touch it, that will be a good idea." WTF!?

That kind of bugged me as well. Maybe it's a commentary on the state of modern/future scientific education? It's a weak defense, but they were in a state of panic. It's possible the air conditions had changed before they replaced their helmets, so perhaps they were delusional as well.

Quote:

6) "Hey there is air here, so let's all take off our helmets." WTF!? Did you even freaken read War of the Worlds? Do you have any idea about diseases? Oh, I see, you have decontamination procedures when you get back to the ship, so you do understand diseases and such, but you still thought taking off your helmet was a good idea?

Stupid is as stupid does, I guess.

Quote:

7) How hell did abortion creature become so big? Does it not need food, it just grows based on light and air?

8) Ok, so the main character is a woman, so of course let's impregnate her with an alien and have her get an abortion (yeah, I know, not really an abortion because the machine owned by a woman was designed for men, evidently fundamental conservatives are still writing laws in the future).

I think the point was that the creature was already growing rapidly inside Shaw, and continued using that energy when removed. Rapid growth is nothing new for the Alien series!

The horror factor was at a 10 in that scene, so I'd say it was worth it. Compare it to the number of male (or pseudo-male) characters that are 'impregnated' and I think the movie is equal opportunity!

Went to see it with my teenagers plus my teenage nephew. This, after having been mentally scarred by the original Alien movie at the age of 8 or 9. But, tix were free at the giant 3D IMAX with my membership so off I went.

The movie definitely delivered on horror and squick (abortion scene, I'm looking at you), but overall it was mostly enjoyable. Amusing was the reaction of my 17-year-old, who is a huge Michael Fassbender fan but went into the movie not realizing exactly what the movie was about. Much horror ensued!

I saw this twice over the weekend. I really enjoyed it but, I have to agree that the plot holes were enormous.

Spoiler:

My thought on the opening scene was that the Engineer was exiled on an uninhabited planet for some crime and only had his cup of "hemlock" in case he decided to end his sentence early. That it went horribly awry was the reason that his fellows decided to destroy humans many millenia later.

My biggest issue came from one character and the lack of obvious responses from the captain:

Retarded Monkey (aka Holloway): Okay, after 2 1/2 years we finally reached the planet with no response from the supposed inhabitants, let's just motor on down to the surface.
Captain: No, we'll stay in orbit until our thorough scan of the surface is complete. Let's not crash 1T dollars because we don't know about the atmosphere or possibility of put out natives.

RM: Okay, we've landed. Let's go!
Captain: Only six hours of sunlight left, let's wait until morning.
RM: It's Christmas and I wanna open my presents!
Captain: Here's your first one; two more weeks in cryo. Maybe that will straighten you out.

RM: This air is breathable! I'm taking off my helmet.
Captain: Take off that helmet and you'll spend the rest of your life in there because you will not be coming back on this ship.
RM: I like pie!
Everyone else on the ground: Yeah, we like pie, too. <they all remove their helmets>

Ad inifitum for every other scene involving Holloway.

I still don't know if Vickers was an android or human. For those who will make the "But she had sex with the Captain!" argument, click here

Still, I enjoyed the movie and liked it's place in the "Alien" cosmology.

@Drayden: You're conflating character with plot - Holloway is written as an impetuous, inconsiderate, irresponsible person. "As far as you're concerned, these two are in charge." No plot holes there.

Re: Vickers

Spoiler:

There is very little evidence she was an android (aside from the crew's speculation due to her cold demeanour), and plenty that she was human: inconsistent, emotional, survival instinct. Most of all, jealous and resentful of her biological father's favoured "pet" creation.

I've been a fan of alien(s) for a long time but haven't got to read the comics personally so much of my understanding is picked up from friends and the internet and thus should be taken with a grain of salt. My understanding of the "engineers / space jockey / whatever" race:

Spoiler:

The space jockeys had a civil war. One side made the Xeno-morphs as the ultimate weapon to use against the other side. Unfortunately, biological weapons are not so easy to control and they got out of hand and took the whole (or nearly the whole) race out.

The ship in prometheus was very likely on its way to use humans as hosts for the xenomorphs. The ship in aliens was obviously the result of harvesting a batch of eggs, theoretically from a world much like ours.

One last thing: I was struck by how much the giant octpus thing at the end resembled a gigantic face hugger (which of course is probably what it was, but why would the samples need to be so big, it was much too large to be a facehugger for a space jockey).

One last thing: I was struck by how much the giant octpus thing at the end resembled a gigantic face hugger (which of course is probably what it was, but why would the samples need to be so big, it was much too large to be a facehugger for a space jockey).

I'm guessing the size and growth was due to being nurtured in a womb instead of an egg. Sort of ramped things up.